Letters to the Editor for June 20, 2014

I am writing to get the word out that the City Council of Oak Grove is going to have a final vote on June 30th, 2014 for a “ conditional use permit.” The permit is for an insurance auto auction business to operate out of the former lumber facility located at County Highway 22 (Viking Boulevard) and Tamarack Street Northwest. The permit will allow them to have approximately 3,000 damaged insurance vehicles at the facility to auction.

If you have any environmental concerns with the facility being located between Swan Lake and Cedar Creek Waterway or safety concerns with increased traffic please come early to the Oak Grove City Council meeting scheduled at 7 p.m. June 30. Let your voice be heard on whether this would be a good fit for Oak Grove and our environment.

Guy Farah
Oak Grove

Newton responds

To the Editor:

Chuck Jones incorrectly claimed in his letter to the editor that elected officials were absent from the cemetery memorial services in Coon Rapids on Memorial Day. Representative Jim Abeler, Senator John Hoffman and I were not only present, but we laid roses on the service memorial plaques during the ceremony.

We felt there was no reason to draw special attention to ourselves for a ceremony honoring our fallen heroes.

Perhaps that and the fact he does not know all elected officials in Anoka County is why he did not notice us.

Mr. Jones should also know that such services are conducted in many cemeteries throughout the metro area at roughly the same times on Memorial Day and that elected officials may choose to attend the veterans’ memorial ceremonies at locations where their own families are buried or at the Fort Snelling Cemetery.

Rep. Jerry Newton
House District 37A
US Army (Retired)

Proofs of Biblical heritage

To the Editor:

John Freeburg of Ramsey in “A Christian nation, show us the proof,” raises the question, “if we are truly a Christian nation, why don’t we see Christian symbols displayed in government presentations.”

The government buildings in Washington, D.C. clearly reveal our nation’s Christian symbols. As one writer put it, “They would need to sandblast every wall from Capitol Hill to the Potomac to erase the testimonies of our nation’s Biblical heritage.”

At the front of the Supreme Court building is a statue of Moses with the Ten Commandments. In the center of the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol there are enormous oil paintings depicting profoundly Christian themes. One is of the Christian baptism of Pocahontas; another shows the discovery of the Mississippi by explorer DeSoto showing the planting of a large, commemorative cross. A third shows the landing of Columbus with a cross in the background.

A fourth painting depicts a group of Dutch travelers — the Pilgrims — about to set sail for the New World. They are shown with a large, open Bible.

In Statuary Hall life-size statues, contributed by the various states, are on display. Oregon sent a statue of missionary Jason Lee who is holding a Bible. From California there is a statue of Junipero Serra, a Christian missionary. Illinois sent a statue of Frances Willard, the associate of evangelist Dwight L. Moody.

In the Library of Congress we read Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.”

“Search the Scriptures…Holiness to the Lord…Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it” are on the stairs of the Washington Monument.

Andrew Jackson stated that the Bible is “the rock on which our Republic rests.” In Holy Trinity vs. U.S. — the Supreme Court decision in 1892 — the conclusion reads: “These (examples) and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.”

Yes, there are many “proofs” of our nation’s biblical Christian heritage.

Barb Anderson
Champlin

Donations boost food shelf

To the Editor:

While the weather of March, April and early May left a lot to be desired, the kindness and generosity of the ACBC Food Shelf community provided much warmth. All of us at ACBC want to thank our many donors and volunteers for their assistance in the fight against hunger.

This year’s March FoodShare Campaign was very successful. ACBC was the recipient of 39,207 pounds of food and $88,922. When a value of $1 per pound is assigned, this year’s collection was $28,734 and pounds over 2013.

It is also very important to acknowledge the many volunteer hours it takes to organize and run a charity food drive or fundraiser. WE are very grateful for these efforts on behalf of the ACBC clients. IT is also good to know that the food shlef will receive a check this summer from MN FoodShare as a result of this campaign.

April 26 was the annual Scouting for Food event. Our local Scouts collected and delivered 4,722 pounds of food. It is always a privilege to work with young people committed to helping others who are less fortunate.

Finally, we would like to thank our local postal carriers and neighbors for their food donations during the Stamp Out Hunger event on May 10. ACBC received 13,188 pounds of food, which volunteers are still sorting for the store.

Feeding local hungry residents is a big task and we re pleased to have so many partners in this effort. During the first five months of 2014, ACBC volunteers served an average of 803 families each month and distributed 65,471 pounds of food. This service would not be possible without all of you!

Jerri Loughry
ACBC Manager

People can twist the truth

To the Editor:

This is in response to a couple of “Letters to the Editor” in the May 23rd Anoka County Union.

The rebuttals to Barb Anderson’s May 16 letter to the editor, indicate how people can twist the truth and put their “spin” on any subject, especially the beliefs of a Biblical-based Christian.

The fact is that this nation’s founding fathers did rely in great part on the Christian Bible and Christian pastors as a guide to set up this new government during the forming the United States.

A good source of that history can be gotten at the website, Wall Builders with David Barton. The research has been done and if anyone what’s to research or debate the Christian heritage of our nation, they can go to the Wall Builders website.

All fellow Biblical based Christians need to speak up for their faith like Barb Anderson and spread the truth. The bottom line is that a lot of unbelievers simply want to do their own thing and not be accountable to anyone especially the true God. The biggest problem for the unbelievers will come immediately when they die. So, where will you be in 100 years?